2002 Houston Texans season

Inaugural season for the Texans

2002 Houston Texans season
Texans inaugural season logo
OwnerBob McNair
General managerCharley Casserly
Head coachDom Capers
Offensive coordinatorChris Palmer
Defensive coordinatorVic Fangio
Home fieldReliant Stadium
Results
Record4–12
Division place4th AFC South
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro Bowlers
2
  • DE Gary Walker
  • CB Aaron Glenn

The 2002 season was the Houston Texans' debut season in the National Football League and the first NFL season for the city of Houston since the Oilers moved to Tennessee to become the Titans in 1997. Their coaching staff was headed by Dom Capers, who previously coached the expansion Carolina Panthers when they debuted in 1995. The divisional realignment also placed the Texans and Titans in the same division.

The Texans won their inaugural regular season game against the Dallas Cowboys 19–10 on Sunday Night Football. They were the first to do this since the 1961 Minnesota Vikings won their inaugural game. The Texans finished their debut season with a 4–12 record.

Due to being an expansion franchise, the Texans were given the first overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. Houston used the selection on Fresno State quarterback David Carr. Carr finished the season with 2,592 passing yards, setting the franchise record for most passing yards by a rookie in a single season. Carr's record would not be broken until 2021, when Davis Mills finished that season with 2,664 passing yards.[1]

NFL returns to Houston

In June 1997, Bob McNair and Chuck Watson's plans for a National Hockey League expansion team fell apart due to the lack of an arena in the Houston area. Afterward, the Houston Oilers moved to Nashville to become the Tennessee Titans. The discussion eventually began to create a new NFL expansion team, with the 31st being awarded to the reformed Cleveland Browns. Houston and Los Angeles were the two finalists, and on October 6, 1999, the league's owners voted unanimously to award Houston the 32nd franchise. In 2000, the new team, tentatively known as "Houston NFL 2002", decided on five potential team names: Apollos, Bobcats, Stallions, Texans and Wildcatters. This shortlist was eventually reduced to Apollos, Stallions and Texans. On September 6, the team name was officially revealed as the Houston Texans.[2]

On January 19, 2000, the team hired former Washington Redskins general manager Charley Casserly to serve in the same position.[2] In the search for a head coach, Miami coach Butch Davis was involved in discussions with McNair, but elected to stay with the university.[3] In January 2001, the Texans hired Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Dom Capers as head coach; Capers had previously worked with the expansion Carolina Panthers as their HC.[4] On January 20, Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Vic Fangio joined the staff in the same role,[5] followed by former Cleveland Browns head coach Chris Palmer as offensive coordinator on February 3.[6]

Offseason

Free agency

On November 5, 2001, the Texans held workouts for defensive backs at the Reliant Astrodome. On December 29, the team signed ten players: running back Michael Basnight, safety Leomont Evans, tackles Robert Hicks and Jerry Wisne, defensive tackle Jason Nikolao, quarterback Mike Quinn, fullback Matt Snider, cornerback Jason Suttle, linebacker Casey Tisdale and safety Kevin Williams. On March 6, 2002, Colts offensive lineman Steve McKinney became the first unrestricted free agent to be signed by the Texans.[2][7]

Expansion draft

To fill the Texans roster, the NFL held an expansion draft on February 18. The team was permitted to select 42 players from the other 31 teams, each of which allowed five players to be drafted. Houston were required to select 30 players or spend 38 percent ($27.24 million) of the $71.7 million salary cap.[8]

The first player that the Texans selected was Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Tony Boselli; however, the five-time Pro Bowler had been suffering from shoulder injuries during the 2001 season and never played a snap for the Texans.[9] Houston also selected 18 more players.

On February 26, quarterback Danny Wuerffel was traded to the Washington Redskins for defensive tackle Jerry DeLoach. The Texans had intended to draft DeLoach, but the Redskins replaced him with Matt Campbell.[10]

Round Player Position Team
1 Tony Boselli^ Offensive tackle Jacksonville Jaguars
2 Ryan Young^ Offensive tackle New York Jets
3 Aaron Glenn^ Cornerback New York Jets
4 Gary Walker^ Defensive tackle Jacksonville Jaguars
5 Jamie Sharper^ Linebacker Baltimore Ravens
6 Jermaine Lewis^ Wide receiver Baltimore Ravens
7 Marcus Coleman^ Defensive back New York Jets
8 Seth Payne^ Defensive tackle Jacksonville Jaguars
9 Matt Campbell Offensive guard Washington Redskins
10 Matt Stevens^ Safety New England Patriots
11 Jeremy McKinney^ Offensive guard Cleveland Browns
12 Ryan Schau^ Offensive guard Cleveland Browns
13 Charlie Rogers Running back Seattle Seahawks
14 Sean McDermott^ Tight end Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15 Jabari Issa^ Defensive end Arizona Cardinals
16 Avion Black^ Wide receiver Buffalo Bills
17 Danny Wuerffel Quarterback Chicago Bears
18 Brian Allen Linebacker St. Louis Rams
19 Johnny Huggins Tight end Dallas Cowboys

^ Made roster.

NFL draft

2002 Houston Texans draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 1 David Carr  QB Fresno State
2 33 Jabar Gaffney  WR Florida
2 50 Chester Pitts  OT San Diego State Extra selection
3 66 Fred Weary  OG Tennessee
3 83 Charles Hill  DT Maryland Extra selection
4 99 Jonathan Wells  RB Ohio State
5 136 Jarrod Baxter  FB New Mexico
5 153 Ramon Walker  S Pittsburgh Extra selection
6 173 Demarcus Faggins  CB Kansas State
6 190 Howard Green  DT LSU Extra selection
7 229 Greg White  DE Minnesota Extra selection
7 261 Ahmad Miller  DT UNLV Extra selection
      Made roster  

[11]

Undrafted free agents

2002 Undrafted Free Agents of note
Player Position College
Atnaf Harris Wide receiver Cal State Northridge
Joey Knapp Tight end UTEP
John Minardi Wide receiver Colorado
Jimmy McClain Linebacker Troy State
Eric Parker Wide receiver Tennessee
Ed Stansbury Running back UCLA

Staff

2002 Houston Texans staff

Front office

  • Founder, chairman and chief executive officer – Bob McNair
  • Senior vice president and general manager – Charley Casserly
  • Associate director of pro scouting – Bobby Grier
  • Associate director of pro scouting – Miller McCalmon
  • Coordinator of college scouting – Mike Maccagnan

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive coordinator – Chris Palmer
  • Running backs – Chick Harris
  • Wide receivers – Kippy Brown
  • Tight ends – Greg Roman
  • Offensive line – Tony Marciano
  • Assistant offensive line – Steve Marshall
Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

  • Special teams – Joe Marciano
  • Special teams assistant – Eric Sutulovich

Strength and conditioning

  • Strength and conditioning – Dan Riley
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Ray Wright

Roster

2002 Houston Texans final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad

  • -- McAllister Collins C
  • -- Jelani Hawkins T
  • -- Rashod Kent TE


Rookies in italics
53 active, 12 inactive, 3 practice squad

Preseason

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
HOF August 5 vs. New York Giants L 17–34 0–1 Fawcett Stadium (Canton) Recap
1 August 10 at New Orleans Saints W 13–10 1–1 Louisiana Superdome Recap
2 August 17 at Kansas City Chiefs L 9–19 1–2 Arrowhead Stadium Recap
3 August 24 Miami Dolphins L 3–24 1–3 Reliant Stadium Recap
4 August 30 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 13–17 1–4 Reliant Stadium Recap

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 September 8 Dallas Cowboys W 19–10 1–0 Reliant Stadium Recap
2 September 15 at San Diego Chargers L 3–24 1–1 Qualcomm Stadium Recap
3 September 22 Indianapolis Colts L 3–23 1–2 Reliant Stadium Recap
4 September 29 at Philadelphia Eagles L 17–35 1–3 Veterans Stadium Recap
5 Bye
6 October 13 Buffalo Bills L 24–31 1–4 Reliant Stadium Recap
7 October 20 at Cleveland Browns L 17–34 1–5 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap
8 October 27 at Jacksonville Jaguars W 21–19 2–5 Alltel Stadium Recap
9 November 3 Cincinnati Bengals L 3–38 2–6 Reliant Stadium Recap
10 November 10 at Tennessee Titans L 10–17 2–7 The Coliseum Recap
11 November 17 Jacksonville Jaguars L 21–24 2–8 Reliant Stadium Recap
12 November 24 New York Giants W 16–14 3–8 Reliant Stadium Recap
13 December 1 at Indianapolis Colts L 3–19 3–9 RCA Dome Recap
14 December 8 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 24–6 4–9 Heinz Field Recap
15 December 15 Baltimore Ravens L 19–23 4–10 Reliant Stadium Recap
16 December 22 at Washington Redskins L 10–26 4–11 FedExField Recap
17 December 29 Tennessee Titans L 3–13 4–12 Reliant Stadium Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Week 1: Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cowboys 0 3 7010
Texans 7 3 0919

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

Game information

First quarter

  • HOU – Billy Miller 19-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 14:43. Texans 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 64 yards, 0:13.

Second quarter

  • HOU – Kris Brown 42-yard field goal, 13:22. Texans 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards.
  • DAL – Billy Cundiff 33-yard field goal, 1:05. Texans 10–3. Drive: 6 plays, 48 yards, 0:32.

Third quarter

  • DAL – Michael Wiley 46-yard run (Billy Cundiff kick), 7:13. Tied 10–10. Drive: 4 plays, 84 yards.

Fourth quarter

  • HOU – Corey Bradford 65-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 13:15. Texans 17–10. Drive: 3 plays, 74 yards, 0:25.
  • HOU – Quincy Carter sacked in the end zone for a safety, 2:47. Texans 19–10.

Top passers

  • DAL – Quincy Carter – 13/30, 130 yards, INT
  • HOU – David Carr – 10/22, 145 yards, 2 TD, INT

Top rushers

  • DAL – Emmitt Smith – 17 rushes, 67 yards
  • HOU – James Allen – 19 rushes, 56 yards

Top receivers

Week 2: at San Diego Chargers

Week 2: Houston Texans at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Texans 0 3 003
Chargers 14 3 0724

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

  • Date: September 15, 2002
  • Game time: 3:15 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 74° (Sunny)
  • Game attendance: 56,098
  • Referee: Mike Carey
  • TV announcers (CBS): Craig Bolerjack, Craig James and Scott Kaplan
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • SD – Curtis Conway 35-yard pass from Drew Brees (Steve Christie kick), 11:55. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 3:37.
  • SD – Curtis Conway 3-yard run (Steve Christie kick), 2:52. Chargers 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 0:33.

Second quarter

  • HOU – Kris Brown 36-yard field goal, 9:31. Chargers 14–3. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 1:45.
  • SD – Steve Christie 36-yard field goal, 0:07. Chargers 17–3. Drive: 6 plays, 37 yards, 0:28.

Third quarter

  • No scoring plays.

Fourth quarter

  • SD – Raylee Johnson fumble recovery in the end zone (Steve Christie kick), 11:49. Chargers 24–3.

Top passers

  • HOU – David Carr – 6/25, 87 yards, 2 INT
  • SD – Drew Brees – 15/28, 163 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

Top receivers

Week 3: vs. Indianapolis Colts

Week 3: Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Colts 7 6 01023
Texans 0 0 303

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: September 22, 2002
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: Roof open 81° Sunny
  • Game attendance: 69,204
  • Referee: Tony Corrente
  • TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson and Brent Jones
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • IND – Mike Vanderjagt 26-yard field goal, 12:59. Colts 10–0. Drive: 6 plays, 33 yards, 10:59.
  • IND – Mike Vanderjagt 39-yard field goal, 1:38. Colts 13–0. Drive: 8 plays, 46 yards, 2:34.

Third quarter

  • HOU – Kris Brown 24-yard field goal, 4:55. Colts 13–3. Drive: 12 plays, 55 yards, 5:22.

Fourth quarter

  • IND – Reggie Wayne 43-yard pass from Peyton Manning (kick failed), 4:35. Colts 20–3. Drive: 8 plays, 69 yards, 3:30.
  • IND – Mike Vanderjagt 37-yard field goal, 1:15. Colts 23–3. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 2:03.

Top passers

  • IND – Peyton Manning – 21/28, 272 yards, 2 TD
  • HOU – David Carr – 12/22, 99 yards, INT

Top rushers

  • IND – Edgerrin James – 25 rushes, 88 yards
  • HOU – Jonathan Wells – 14 rushes, 93 yards

Top receivers

Week 4: at Philadelphia Eagles

Week 4: Houston Texans at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Texans 7 0 10017
Eagles 3 17 8735

at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Date: September 29, 2002
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 72° (Sunny, partly cloudy)
  • Game attendance: 64,867
  • Referee: Johnny Grier
  • TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • HOU – Corey Bradford 23-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 10:18. Texans 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 69 yards, 2:10.
  • PHI – David Akers 25-yard field goal, 3:56. Texans 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 5:23.

Second quarter

  • PHI – Duce Staley 1-yard run (David Akers kick), 13:31. Eagles 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 42 yards, 4:19.
  • PHI – Duce Staley 1-yard run (David Akers kick), 5:18. Eagles 17–7. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 4:08.
  • PHI – David Akers 41-yard field goal, 2:46. Eagles 20–7. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:15.

Third quarter

  • PHI – Brian Dawkins 57-yard pass from Brian Mitchell (McNabb pass to Lewis), 11:43. Eagles 28–7. Drive: 8 plays, 88 yards, 3:52.
  • HOU – Corey Bradford 29-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 9:16. Eagles 28–14. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 2:12.
  • HOU – Kris Brown 48-yard field goal, 2:37. Eagles 28–17. Drive: 7 plays, 24 yards, 2:33.

Fourth quarter

  • PHI – James Thrash 38-yard pass from Donovan McNabb (David Akers kick), 5:15. Eagles 35–17. Drive: 4 plays, 57 yards, 0:53.

Top passers

  • HOU – David Carr – 16/29, 188 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
  • PHI – Donovan McNabb – 24/42, 259 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

  • HOU – James Allen – 14 rushes, 41 yards
  • PHI – Duce Staley – 12 rushes, 33 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills

Week 6: Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans
Period 1 2 34Total
Bills 3 7 71431
Texans 3 14 0724

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: October 13, 2002
  • Game time: 12:00 pm CST
  • Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
  • Game attendance: 70,120
  • Referee: Ed Hochuli
  • TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • HOU – Kris Brown 26-yard field goal, 10:26. Texans 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 82 yards, 2:19.
  • BUF – Mike Hollis 33-yard field goal, 5:00. Tied 3–3. Drive: 13 plays, 66 yards, 5:26.

Second quarter

  • HOU – Jabar Gaffney 26-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 10:31. Texans 10–3. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:34.
  • HOU – David Carr 17-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 5:04. Texans 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 4:04.
  • BUF – Travis Henry 1-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 0:54. Texans 17–10. Drive: 10 plays, 85 yards, 4:10.

Third quarter

  • BUF – Travis Henry 23-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 6:32. Tied 17–17. Drive: 11 plays, 95 yards, 5:10.

Fourth quarter

  • HOU – Billy Miller 5-yard pass from James Allen (Kris Brown kick), 14:10. Texans 24–17. Drive: 2 plays, 8 yards, 0:24.
  • BUF – Eric Moulds 23-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 10:39. Tied 24–24. Drive: 7 plays, 55 yards, 3:31.
  • BUF – Peerless Price 26-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 3:55. Bills 31–24. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:30.

Top passers

  • BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 19/33, 254 yards, 2 TD
  • HOU – David Carr – 12/23, 218 yards, TD

Top rushers

  • BUF – Travis Henry – 28 rushes, 159 yards, 2 TD
  • HOU – Jonathan Wells – 12 rushes, 70 yards

Top receivers

  • BUF – Peerless Price – 8 receptions, 121 yards, TD
  • HOU – Corey Bradford – 5 receptions, 126 yards

Week 7: at Cleveland Browns

Week 7: Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Texans 0 7 10017
Browns 0 7 171034

at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: October 20, 2002
  • Game time: 3:05 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 52°
  • Game attendance: 73,248
  • Referee: Gerald Austin
  • TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson and Brent Jones
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • No scoring plays.

Second quarter

  • CLE – William Green 1-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 14:23. Browns 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 13 yards, 3:28.
  • HOU – Corey Bradford 37-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 12:41. Tied 7–7. Drive: 4 plays, 62 yards, 0:37.

Third quarter

  • CLE – Phil Dawson 36-yard field goal, 10:30. Browns 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 2:20.
  • HOU – Corey Bradford 39-yard pass from Jabar Gaffney (Kris Brown kick), 9:03. Texans 14–10. Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards, 0:37.
  • CLE – André Davis 95-yard kick return (Phil Dawson kick), 8:31. Browns 17–14.
  • HOU – Kris Brown 47-yard field goal, 5:48. Tied 17–17. Drive: 8 plays, 35 yards, 1:59.
  • CLE – Quincy Morgan 25-yard pass from Tim Couch (Phil Dawson kick), 3:22. Browns 24–17. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 2:14.

Fourth quarter

  • CLE – Phil Dawson 44-yard field goal, 5:46. Browns 27–17. Drive: 9 plays, 31 yards, 3:57.
  • CLE – Jamel White 2-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 2:00. Browns 34–17. Drive: 2 plays, 4 yards, 0:35.

Top passers

  • HOU – David Carr – 22/36, 267 yards, TD
  • CLE – Tim Couch – 21/31, 148 yards, TD

Top rushers

  • HOU – James Allen – 5 rushes, 61 yards
  • CLE – Jamel White – 12 rushes, 65 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • HOU – Billy Miller – 6 receptions, 78 yards
  • CLE – Quincy Morgan – 7 receptions, 81 yards, TD

Week 8: at Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 8: Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Texans 0 7 31121
Jaguars 0 9 3719

at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

Game information

First quarter

  • No scoring plays

Second quarter

  • JAX – Jimmy Smith 25-yard pass from Mark Brunell (Tim Seder kick), 12:11. Jaguars 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 2:39.
  • HOU – Jonathan Wells 3-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 8:31. Tied 7–7. Drive: 4 plays, 44 yards, 2:08.
  • JAX – Chad Stanley tackled in end zone, 5:15. Jaguars 9–7.

Third quarter

  • HOU – Kris Brown 43-yard field goal, 11:55. Texans 10–9. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 3:39.
  • JAX – Tim Seder 34-yard field goal, 6:31. Jaguars 12–10. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:43.

Fourth quarter

  • HOU – Billy Miller 1-yard pass from David Carr (Carr pass to Gaffney), 18–12. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:12.
  • JAX – Stacey Mack 2-yard run (Tim Seder kick), 7:58. Jaguars 19–18. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:22.
  • HOU – Kris Brown 45-yard field goal, 2:24. Texans 21–19. Drive: 4 plays, 50 yards, 0:28.

Top passers

  • HOU – David Carr – 11/18, 184 yards, TD
  • JAX – Mark Brunell – 16/34, 202 yards, TD

Top rushers

  • HOU – James Allen – 10 rushes, 40 yards
  • JAX – Fred Taylor – 25 rushes, 85 yards

Top receivers

  • HOU – Billy Miller – 3 receptions, 78 yards, TD
  • JAX – Jimmy Smith – 4 receptions, 80 yards, TD

Texans win their first road game in franchise history.

Week 9: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Week 9: Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Bengals 10 14 01438
Texans 3 0 003

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: November 3, 2002
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 69,827
  • Referee: Larry Nemmers
  • TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • HOU − Kris Brown 23-yard field goal, 10:58. Texans 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 66 yards, 3:55.
  • CIN – Neil Rackers 25-yard field goal, 5:51. Tied 3–3. Drive: 11 plays, 68 yards, 4:16.
  • CIN – Artrell Hawkins 102-yard interception return (Neil Rackers kick), 0:00. Bengals 10–3.

Second quarter

  • CIN – Michael Westbrook 26-yard pass from Jon Kitna (Neil Rackers kick), 6:00. Bengals 17–3. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 5:29.
  • CIN – Peter Warrick 33-yard pass from Jon Kitna (Neil Rackers kick), 0:42. Bengals 24–3. Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 0:07.

Third quarter

  • No scoring plays

Fourth quarter

  • CIN – Michael Westbrook 12-yard pass from Jon Kitna (Neil Rackers kick), 11:28. Bengals 31–3. Drive: 13 plays, 98 yards, 16:59.
  • CIN – Chad Johnson 10-yard pass from Jon Kitna (Neil Rackers kick), 6:01. Bengals 38–3. Drive: 7 plays, 59 yards, 3:38.

Top passers

  • CIN – Jon Kitna – 22/27, 263 yards, 4 TD
  • HOU – David Carr – 18/32, 199 yards, 2 INT

Top rushers

  • CIN – Corey Dillon – 22 rushes, 92 yards
  • HOU – Jonathan Wells – 12 rushes, 44 yards

Top receivers

Week 10: at Tennessee Titans

Week 10: Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Texans 0 3 0710
Titans 7 3 7017

at LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee

  • Date: November 10, 2002
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 68,804
  • Referee: Bill Leavy
  • TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • TEN – Joe Nedney 24-yard field goal, 7:54. Titans 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:36.
  • HOU – Kris Brown 51-yard field goal, 1:11. Titans 10–3. Drive: 12 plays, 41 yards, 5:06.

Third quarter

  • TEN – Shad Meier 17-yard pass from Steve McNair (Joe Nedney kick), 10:52. Titans 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 66 yards, 4:06.

Fourth quarter

  • HOU – Jarrod Baxter 10-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 3:10. Titans 17–10. Drive: 10 plays, 73 yards, 1:41.

Top passers

  • HOU – David Carr – 19/34, 182 yards, TD, 2 INT
  • TEN – Steve McNair – 10/21, 109 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT

Top rushers

  • HOU – Jonathan Wells – 18 rushes, 41 yards
  • TEN – Eddie George – 25 rushes, 86 yards

Top receivers

Week 11: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 11: Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Jaguars 7 10 7024
Texans 0 7 7721

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: November 17, 2002
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 69,711
  • Referee: Dick Hantak
  • TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • JAX – Stacey Mack 1-yard run (Tim Seder kick), 1:19. Jaguars 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 0:45.

Second quarter

  • JAX – Kyle Brady 2-yard pass from Mark Brunell (Tim Seder kick), 10:20. Jaguars 14–0. Drive: 6 plays, 96 yards, 1:44.
  • HOU – Corey Bradford 52-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 3:56. Jaguars 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 72 yards, 2:37.
  • JAX – Tim Seder 22-yard field goal, 0:00. Jaguars 17–7. Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 1:55.

Third quarter

  • JAX – Jimmy Smith 13-yard pass from Mark Brunell (Tim Seder kick), 12:50. Jaguars 24–7. Drive: 2 plays, 27 yards, 0:15.
  • HOU – David Carr 2-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 1:25. Jaguars 24–14. Drive: 9 plays, 83 yards, 4:12.

Fourth quarter

  • HOU – David Carr 14-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 2:04. Jaguars 24–21. Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 5:14.

Top passers

  • JAX – Mark Brunell – 15/25, 224 yards, 2 TD, INT
  • HOU – David Carr – 22/30, 228 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

  • JAX – Fred Taylor – 13 rushes, 56 yards
  • HOU – David Carr – 7 rushes, 33 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

  • JAX – Jimmy Smith – 6 receptions, 70 yards, TD
  • HOU – Corey Bradford – 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD

Week 12: vs. New York Giants

Week 12: New York Giants at Houston Texans – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Giants 0 7 0714
Texans 0 5 8316

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: November 24, 2002
  • Game time: 3:15 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 70,054
  • Referee: Terry McAulay
  • TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Bill Maas and Matt Sampsell
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • No scoring plays

Second quarter

  • HOU – Kris Brown 40-yard field goal, 12:38. Texans 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards, 15:40.
  • NYG – Tiki Barber 2-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 3:45. Giants 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 86 yards, 2:22.
  • HOU – Matt Allen tackled in end zone, 0:26. Giants 7–5.

Third quarter

  • HOU – Jonathan Wells 1-yard run (David Carr pass to James Allen), 6:57. Texans 13–7. Drive: 7 plays, 34 yards, 3:36.

Fourth quarter

  • NYG – Amani Toomer 31-yard pass from Kerry Collins (Matt Bryant kick), 13:18. Giants 14–13. Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards, 12:02.
  • HOU – Kris Brown 50-yard field goal, 6:57. Texans 16–14. Drive: 11 plays, 41 yards, 5:57.

Top passers

  • NYG – Kerry Collins – 18/41, 214 yards, TD, 2 INT
  • HOU – David Carr – 10/23, 103 yards

Top rushers

  • NYG – Tiki Barber – 20 rushes, 147 yards, TD
  • HOU – Jonathan Wells – 24 rushes, 68 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • NYG – Amani Toomer – 8 receptions, 113 yards, TD
  • HOU – Billy Miller – 4 receptions, 70 yards

The Giants entered the game at 6–4 looking for an easy victory over the expansion Texans. The first quarter was scoreless with miscues from both teams. Houston received the opening kickoff, but went three-and-out, punting the ball to end the drive. On the second play of the following drive, New York running back Tiki Barber fumbled the ball at the Giants 27-yard line with the ball being recovered by Houston linebacker Jamie Sharper. On the next drive, Texans' running back James Allen fumbled the ball and it was recovered at the New York 30-yard line by linebacker Dhani Jones for the Giants. The two teams would trade punts with the first points being scored by Houston kicker Kris Brown on a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Giants would respond a few drives later with Barber scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run. The game's next scoring play would come late in the second quarter. New York long snapper Bob Jones fumbled the snap with the ball being recovered by punter Matt Allen, who was tackled in his own end zone for a safety with the Texans trailing 5–7 at halftime.

Houston's first touchdown of the game came in the 3rd quarter, with a 1-yard run from Jonathan Wells. The Texans went for two, with Allen catching a pass from David Carr to put Houston up 13–7 with 6:57 left in the 3rd quarter. The Giants' following drive ended with Matt Bryant missing a 33-yard field goal. New York would score on its next possession with a 31-yard pass from Kerry Collins to receiver Amani Toomer to the Giants up 14–13 with 13:18 left in the game. Houston responded on the next drive with a 50-yard field goal to take a 16–14 lead with 6:57 left. The Giants had three drives to respond, but Collins was picked off twice on back-to-back possessions with the last play of the game being a failed Hail Mary to give the Texans a 16–14 upset victory.

Week 13: at Indianapolis Colts

Week 13: Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Texans 0 0 033
Colts 10 3 0619

at RCA Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana

  • Date: December 1, 2002
  • Game time: 3:05 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 56,820
  • Referee: Johnny Grier
  • TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • IND – Mike Vanderjagt 31-yard field goal, 10:00. Colts 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 1:56.
  • IND – Marcus Pollard 16-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Mike Vanderjagt kick), 8:55. Colts 10–0. Drive: 1 play, 16 yards, 0:08.

Second quarter

  • IND – Mike Vanderjagt 46-yard field goal, 12:30. Colts 13–0. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 0:50.

Third quarter

  • No scoring plays

Fourth quarter

  • IND – James Mungro 1-yard run (kick failed), 8:38. Colts 19–0. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 3:51.
  • HOU – Kris Brown 34-yard field goal, 3:55. Colts 19–3. Drive: 6 plays, 4 yards, 0:53.

Top passers

  • HOU – David Carr – 20/35, 137 yards
  • IND – Peyton Manning – 15/28, 190 yards, TD

Top rushers

  • HOU – James Allen – 16 rushes, 64 yards
  • IND – Edgerrin James – 20 rushes, 65 yards

Top receivers

  • HOU – James Allen – 10 receptions, 49 yards
  • IND – Marvin Harrison – 9 receptions, 101 yards

Week 14: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 14: Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Texans 14 0 01024
Steelers 0 3 306

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: December 8, 2002
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 58,551
  • Referee: Bob McElwee
  • TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • HOU – Kenny Wright 40-yard fumble return (Kris Brown kick), 6:15. Texans 7–0.
  • HOU – Aaron Glenn 70-yard interception return (Kris Brown kick), 2:30. Texans 14–0.

Second quarter

  • PIT – Jeff Reed 40-yard field goal, 0:25. Texans 14–3. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 2:28.

Third quarter

  • PIT – Jeff Reed 31-yard field goal, 9:45. Texans 14–6. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 5:08.

Fourth quarter

  • HOU – Kris Brown 43-yard field goal, 3:40. Texans 17–6. Drive: 4 plays, −5 yards, 0:17.
  • HOU – Aaron Glenn 65-yard interception return, 2:21. Texans 24–6.

Top passers

  • HOU – David Carr – 3/10, 33 yards
  • PIT – Tommy Maddox – 30/57, 325 yards, 2 INT

Top rushers

  • HOU – James Allen – 13 rushes, 19 yards
  • PIT – Amos Zereoue – 11 rushes, 69 yards

Top receivers

  • HOU – Billy Miller – 3 receptions, 33 yards
  • PIT – Antwaan Randle El – 8 receptions, 88 yards

The Texans had one of the worst offensive performances ever in an NFL game, only having 47 total yards of offense while the Steelers had 422 yards. The Texans' defense forced five turnovers and scored three touchdowns. Pittsburgh quarterback Tommy Maddox threw two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns by Houston cornerback Aaron Glenn; Maddox also lost a fumble that was recovered by Texans cornerback Kenny Wright for a touchdown.[12]

Week 15: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Week 15: Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Ravens 3 10 7323
Texans 0 7 7519

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: December 15, 2002
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 70,108
  • Referee: Bernie Kukar
  • TV announcers (CBS): Bill Macatee and Craig James
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • BAL – Matt Stover 22-yard field goal, 7:30. Ravens 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 0:50.

Second quarter

  • HOU – Jonathan Wells 1-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 13:45. Texans 7–3. Drive: 14 plays, 91 yards, 18:27.
  • BAL – Matt Stover 22-yard field goal, 12:00. Texans 7–6. Drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 0:43.
  • BAL – Travis Taylor 26-yard pass from Jeff Blake (Matt Stover kick), 2:00. Ravens 13–7. Drive: 7 plays, 97 yards, 5:00.

Third quarter

  • BAL – Chester Taylor 11-yard pass from Jeff Blake (Matt Stover kick), 7:30. Ravens 20–7. Drive: 11 plays, 84 yards, 4:00.
  • HOU – Avion Black 76-yard punt return (Kris Brown kick), 0:59. Ravens 20–14.

Fourth quarter

  • BAL – Matt Stover 47-yard field goal, 9:00. Ravens 23–14. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:00.
  • HOU – Kris Brown 41-yard field goal, 3:40. Ravens 23–17. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 2:21.
  • HOU – Team safety, 2:28. Ravens 23–19.

Top passers

  • BAL – Jeff Blake – 18/30, 228 yards, 2 TD
  • HOU – David Carr – 19/34, 196 yards, 2 INT

Top rushers

  • BAL – Jamal Lewis – 20 rushes, 49 yards
  • HOU – Jonathan Wells – 14 rushes, 48 yards, TD

Top receivers

  • BAL – Travis Taylor – 5 receptions, 96 yards, TD
  • HOU – Billy Miller – 8 receptions, 77 yards

Week 16: at Washington Redskins

Week 16: Houston Texans at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Texans 3 0 0710
Redskins 7 9 01026

at FedExField, Landover, Maryland

  • Date: December 22, 2002
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 70,291
  • Referee: Jeff Triplette
  • TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

Second quarter

  • WSH – Houston penalty in end zone, 14:05. Redskins 9–3.
  • WSH – Derrius Thompson 13-yard pass from Patrick Ramsey (José Cortez kick), 1:15. Redskins 16–3. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 1:57.

Third quarter

  • No scoring plays

Fourth quarter

  • WSH – Ladell Betts 3-yard run (José Cortez kick), 14:30. Redskins 23–3. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 12:19.
  • HOU – Kevin Williams blocked punt recovery, 9:46. Redskins 23–10.
  • WSH – José Cortez 23-yard field goal, 2:54. Redskins 26–10. Drive: 11 plays, 69 yards, 5:53.

Top passers

  • HOU – David Carr – 12/31, 112 yards, INT
  • WSH – Patrick Ramsey – 14/31, 190 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

  • HOU – Jonathan Wells – 15 rushes, 33 yards
  • WSH – Ladell Betts – 20 rushes, 116 yards, TD

Top receivers

Week 17: vs. Tennessee Titans

Week 17: Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Titans 3 3 0713
Texans 0 0 303

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

  • Date: December 29, 2002
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 70,694
  • Referee: Walt Coleman
  • TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
  • Recap
Game information

First quarter

  • TEN – Joe Nedney 28-yard field goal, 4:01. Titans 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 59 yards, 3:34.

Second quarter

  • TEN – Joe Nedney 26-yard field goal, 2:56. Titans 6–0. Drive: 5 plays, 14 yards, 1:48.

Third quarter

  • HOU – Kris Brown 42-yard field goal, 1:19. Titans 6–3. Drive: 3 plays, 60 yards, 0:13.

Fourth quarter

  • TEN – Eddie George 5-yard run (Joe Nedney kick), 5:24. Titans 13–3. Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 4:09.

Top passers

  • TEN – Steve McNair – 8/22, 148 yards
  • HOU – David Carr – 21/40, 214 yards, INT

Top rushers

  • TEN – Eddie George – 25 rushes, 102 yards, TD
  • HOU – Jonathan Allen – 6 rushes, 20 yards

Top receivers

This was the Titans' first game to be played in Houston since December 15, 1996 when the team was known as the Houston Oilers.[13]

Standings

Division

AFC South
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W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(2) Tennessee Titans 11 5 0 .688 6–0 9–3 367 324 W5
(5) Indianapolis Colts 10 6 0 .625 4–2 8–4 349 313 W1
Jacksonville Jaguars 6 10 0 .375 1–5 4–8 328 315 L2
Houston Texans 4 12 0 .250 1–5 2–10 213 356 L3

Conference

AFC
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# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV
Division leaders
1[a] Oakland Raiders West 11 5 0 .688 4–2 9–3 .529 .531
2[a] Tennessee Titans South 11 5 0 .688 6–0 9–3 .479 .474
3 Pittsburgh Steelers North 10 5 1 .656 6–0 8–4 .486 .451
4[b] New York Jets East 9 7 0 .563 4–2 6–6 .500 .500
Wild Cards
5 Indianapolis Colts South 10 6 0 .625 4–2 8–4 .479 .400
6[c] Cleveland Browns North 9 7 0 .563 3–3 7–5 .486 .413
Did not qualify for the postseason
7[c][d] Denver Broncos West 9 7 0 .563 3–3 5–7 .527 .486
8[b][c][d][e] New England Patriots East 9 7 0 .563 4–2 6–6 .525 .455
9[b][e] Miami Dolphins East 9 7 0 .563 2–4 7–5 .508 .486
10[f] Buffalo Bills East 8 8 0 .500 2–4 5–7 .473 .352
11[f][g] San Diego Chargers West 8 8 0 .500 3–3 6–6 .492 .453
12[g] Kansas City Chiefs West 8 8 0 .500 2–4 6–6 .527 .516
13 Baltimore Ravens North 7 9 0 .438 3–3 7–5 .506 .384
14 Jacksonville Jaguars South 6 10 0 .375 1–5 4–8 .506 .438
15 Houston Texans South 4 12 0 .250 1–5 2–10 .518 .492
16 Cincinnati Bengals North 2 14 0 .125 0–6 1–11 .537 .406
Tiebreakers[h]
  1. ^ a b Oakland finished ahead of Tennessee based on head-to-head victory.
  2. ^ a b c N.Y. Jets finished ahead of New England based on win percentage in common games (8–4 to 7–5) and Miami based on division record (4–2 to 2–4).
  3. ^ a b c Cleveland finished ahead of Denver and New England based on conference record (7–5 vs 5–7/6–6)
  4. ^ a b Denver finished ahead of New England based on head-to-head victory.
  5. ^ a b New England finished ahead of Miami based on division record (4–2 to 2–4).
  6. ^ a b Buffalo finished ahead of San Diego based on head-to-head victory.
  7. ^ a b San Diego finished ahead of Kansas City based on division record (3–3 to 2–4).
  8. ^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

Statistics

Despite being in their first season, Football Outsiders calculated that the Texans were, play-for-play, the least successful team in the NFL in 2002.[14] FO also stated that the 2002 Texans had the worst offense and third-worst run offense they have ever tracked.[15]

Team

Category Total yards Yards per game NFL rank
(out of 32)
Passing offense 2,225 139.1 32nd
Rushing offense 1,347 84.2 31st
Total offense[16] 3,572 223.3 32nd
Passing defense 3,141 196.3 10th
Rushing defense 2,089 130.6 28th
Total defense[17] 5,230 326.9 16th

Individual

Category Player Total
Offense
Passing yards David Carr 2,592
Passing touchdowns David Carr 9
Rushing yards Jonathan Wells 529
Rushing touchdowns Jonathan Wells
David Carr
3
Receiving yards Corey Bradford 697
Receiving touchdowns Corey Bradford 6
Defense
Tackles (Solo) Jay Foreman 105
Sacks Jeff Posey 8
Interceptions Aaron Glenn 5

Source:[18]

References

  1. ^ Sidhu, Deepi (January 9, 2022). "with 11 starts under his belt, Houston Texans QB Davis Mills has now solidified himself as the leading rookie passer in franchise history with 2,664 yards". Houston Texans. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Texans Team History". Houston Texans. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  3. ^ "Owner: Texans won't hire coach until 2002". Amarillo Globe-News. Associated Press. January 3, 2001. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  4. ^ "Dom Capers". Green Bay Packers. Archived from the original on May 23, 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  5. ^ "PLUS: PRO FOOTBALL; TEXANS HIRE FANGIO". The New York Times. January 15, 2002. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  6. ^ "Texans hire Palmer". Amarillo Globe-News. Associated Press. February 3, 2001. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  7. ^ "2002 Roster" (PDF). Houston Texans. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 25, 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  8. ^ "Unprotected players for expansion draft". ESPN. February 7, 2002. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  9. ^ "Five-time Pro Bowler Boselli set to retire". ESPN. July 15, 2003. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  10. ^ Pasquarelli, Len (February 26, 2002). "Texans deal Wuerffel to 'Skins in first-ever trade". ESPN. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  11. ^ "2002 Houston Texans draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  12. ^ "Texans turn to defense for all of their offense". ESPN. December 8, 2002. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  13. ^ "Titans seal first-round bye in playoffs". ESPN. December 29, 2002. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  14. ^ −41.6 DVOA, Football Outsiders: 2002 TEAM EFFICIENCY RATINGS
  15. ^ Football Outsiders – DVOA 7.0: Worst Teams Ever, from 1991–2011
  16. ^ "2002 NFL Team Total Offense Stats". ESPN. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  17. ^ "2002 NFL Team Total Defense Stats". ESPN. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  18. ^ "2002 Texans Statistics". Houston Texans. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
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Houston Texans 2002 inaugural season roster